#6 Does Free Will Exist?

          Throughout my Psychology course we have studied genetic inheritance, environmental factors, and the function and response of the brain to stimuli. From a scientific and religious standpoint, the question of whether or not free will exists is examined. It must first be determined what free will is to be defined as. “Free will is the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.” The advances in psychological studies and scriptural verses lead us to the knowledge that free will does indeed exist.
          From a religious viewpoint many scriptural verses provide evidence of God giving man free will. Moses 4:3 reads, “ Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him.” God have given people agency, the power to make personal choices. While outside forces can affect us or try and point us in certain directions, overall we ourselves make the decision of what to do or who to follow. Without agency, we would not have a purpose in existing. Making choices along the path of life is what molds us into who we are and what we stand for. Doctrine and Covenants 58:27 reads, “ Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.” Not only are we given the chance to make our own decisions, but we are expected of God to use this freedom to do good works and help others. This involves ourselves to give up our selfish manners and do something for another without expecting anything in return.
          The mind is a complex structure that is the largest part of what makes us individuals and human. Our minds are a part of us, and they are our own. We have studied the different functions of the brain. Chapter 4 taught about how each portion inside the mind plays an important role for us to understand and interpret what we see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. The processes inside our mind help us perceive the world around us and make judgments. Chapter 6 looked into the subject of consciousness. Our body makes decisions that do not always reach our consciousness. Yet those parts of our body are still apart of us as a whole. While we do have natural instincts as a human, our experiences in life affect each person differently and cause us to think independently. Even if we make decisions before we are conscious of it, it is still us.
          People think we are hardwired to act certain ways or think certain things. Human nature is something that can be predicted and explained, therefore we don’t have free will, but are controlled by our genetic makeup. We are not animals who follow their instincts 100%. We are more complex and do things that are out of the ordinary and not always for our own personal benefit. The idea of not having free will contradicts with the fact that different people have different morals. Without the freedom of choice, can we truly convict people of crimes against others and society? Our entire system and government would have to change in order to accommodate the idea that people are not truly free to choose.If we are controlled solely by biology and our environment, how do so many people with a similar past, privileges, and experiences, make choices that are so unique and different from everyone around them? Yes we can be affect by our situations and surroundings, but we still have control over whether or not we let those things influence us in our decision making. Our fates are not be determined, neither 100% predictable. Free will gives us the chance to be unique and have a life specifically constructed by our personal choices, despite our surrounding environment.